Ball and socket joint



July 18, 1933. w ODD 1,919,178

BALL AND SOCKET JOINT Filed May 27, 1932 3 MLZZM/ Gum/nap Patented July 18, 1933 I WILLIAM Tenn, 'onnom nnssncnusnr'rs' i v v :IBALL ANnsocKE-r 301m." p I Apnl'ieatieil filed May 27, 1932. Serial 614,010. g I asseseasesnae 1 or cap 19, closing the open end of thecylirh der, and is usually externally threaded to en- The present invention'rel'ate's to rod joint, couplings, and more particularly to provisionsforipreventin'g the separation or discon nection of a universal j oint, such as employed one of theballseat members 1460, of which other end 13, the end 12 forming a seat for there are usually two, one on each side of a spherical ball 15 having an integral. stem or shank 16, usually threaded, to receive an end of a rod, link or otherjoint. The shank 16 of the ballextends through an opening 17 in l the side Wall of the cylinder to permit a certain free, lateral or swivelling movement thereof, and this assembly isheld tightly to at the ends of tie rods, drag links andthe gage internal threads on the outer end Of the like, used in automobile steering mechanism, sleeve. This is more or less conventional or in other places, such separation resulting construction in a ball and socket oint, andno from excessive Wear, crystallization and invention or novelty isclaimedfor the 6011- causing entire loss of control of the vehicle. struction thus far specifically described- The object of the invention is the provision The presentinvention resides in the followof a ball and socket joint of the above stated ing described Co str 0 the q v nt character, having novel features'ofconstruc thereof- 1 a y tion, and by which the parts may be readily The opening 17 islpreferably elongated and assembled and disassembled, or parts reeXtended longitudinally of the; sleeve, butof placed Without entirely disconnecting the smaller dimensions than that of the. ball. 15, 165 joints, yet preventing.accidental disconnecso that the ball cannot be drawn or passed" tion While in use. i through the slot.17' at'any point thereof.

The invention consists in Whatever is d e- Opposite-the opening 17, but preferably ofl' scribed byor included within the terms or set With respect to the central axisthereof, k scope of the appended claims. san opening 20 formed in the sleeve 10, In the drawing which shows the invention nd of such dimensions as will permit the as at present devised l v shank 16 and the ball 15 to be passed there- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the jointthIOHgh angularlywith respect to'the axis' construction in accordance with the present e so that the Shank m y be @1 0 P 6 5 invention; 1 e 1 through the opening 17' and the ball; shank Figure 2 is an end View of the'joint; O Within h i 'Of S eeve 10, to Figure 3 is a longitudinal section'through the position shown. in Figure? of the aw-Q the rod end and ball joint and taken substanj 111 g- Inthis assembled position, the stem 16 tially on line 8+3 ofFigure 2; v extends through the opening l? a d th b ll Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section will be moved laterallyvby the spring 18 from through the ball joint and substantially on- PPIQS Q t e Opening 20 t0 a P0 1 ppo s line l4of Figure 3; and' n g l side Wall of the sleeve. I Thus, in operation,

Figure 5 is a .frag mental longitudinal secany th ust o strain which may cause the tional View through the outer end of the joint ball to .move transversely in the sleeve, will illustrating the locking means, I l the lh t 'by e edges f he 0pe ning1 6 As shown in thedrawing, the joint assemon ones de, and on the other side by, thelside; bly comprises as usual a cylindrical or tubuwall of the sleeve; Another advantage for lar socket- 10, usually forming the extension th s Co s r ction is that should it become de- 11 of a rod or linkof metal- The cylinder sirable'to remove the ball and itsshank'for 0 is closed at one end 12, and, opened at. its the Cyl nder, this may be done"by,merel-y loosening the plug .19 without entirely ,removing it from position, semblingthe entirejoint; L

Inorderto close the opening. 20;,foruthepurpose 7 of preventingqdisconnection oflthe jointsor movement of any of the parts therethrough, should any of the parts become loose or broken, and further, for the purpose of "excluding dust and dirt in the opening,a

curved plate 21 is provided and hinged, as at 9 i or othervv -ise' disasv 22, at one end to the cylindrical socket and .detachably secured 'at the other end, as at 23, so that it may be readily opened and closed. This plate 21 is shaped to conform to the contour of the socket, and is preferably elongated and benttransversely in semicircular shape." One end of the plate is cut away, as at 24, from its'corners, for a distance inwardly so as to provide two opposite- 1y extending cars 25, having openings therein through which extend screws or other suitable pins 22 carried on'the socket, thus permitting the plate to swing on said pins to open and close the opening 20. Any inter mediate portion of the plate, that is, that portion-lying opposite the opening 20, is outwardly depressed, as at 26', to form a pocket leatheror other suitable material 27, which or recess in whichis deposited a pad of annular series of notches or kerfs 30 or other it will'be understood that lock washers 31" may beinterposed between the head of the depressions or projections usually provided upon the plug cap for the purpose of locking it in position after it has been screwed into place. Thus the bolts 23 serve a two-fold purpose of holding plate in position and locking the plugcap in'its position. Of course,

bolts 23 and the plate 21.

In some instances, it may be found desirable to provide'a ring 32 which may be slipped on the outer end of the socket so as to embrace the outer end of the socket and the outer end of the plate 21, this. ring also having suitable openings through-which the 'bolts 23 may extend. In order toprevent the lubricant from unduly leaking through the slot'17. and also to exclude dust and water from the interior ofthe socket joint, a shield 33' is provided to cover the slot 17. This shield consists of a plate shaped to conform externally to the surfaces of the socket adj acentthe opening 17, and has anopening 34 therein of a size and shape through which the shank 16may extend. The opening is sufliciently large to permit the shank to teeter therein, and the shield is pressed against the 6o outersurfaces of the socket by a compression spring 35, surrounding the'stud and having its outer end bearing against the-part 36 which may be a connecting rod or other suit- I able element. 1

From the above will be seen that a very simple and desirable construction has been-- provided, by which the parts of a ball and I socket joint may not become disconnected by reason of the spring 18 becoming crystallized or broken, or the plug 18 working loose or falling out; that under all circumstances, the ball 15 will be held within the socket,

so that some control of the steering mechanism (if the device is used in such' manner) may be maintained; also" that the ball joint may be quickly removed from the socket by the removal of the bolts 23 and permitting the plate 21 to swing upon its hinged end 22, which swinging movement is permitted by the cut out portion 24 of the plate. It will also be observed that thelocking bolts 23 serve two-fold purpose, and eliminate the necessity of using cotterpins, which are difficult to spreadaroun'd the lubricator nipple, usually carried by the plug 19.

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is disclosed in the form in which it is considered to be the best, but the invention is not limited to such form because it is capable of being embodied in this form; and it is to be understoodthat in and by the claims following the description herein, it is intended to cover the invention in whatever form it may embody within the.

scope thereof. I 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and described to secureby Letters Patent, is i i 1. A safety ball and socket joint including a tubular socket member having substantially I oppositely disposed, side openings therein, a headed member in said socket and having a shank fixed thereto and extending through one of said openings, which ,is' of such dimensions as to prevent the head from passing therethrough but permitting movement of the shank therein, the other of said openings permitting said head and shank to pass therethrough, and a closure plate curved to conform to the outer side wall of the socket and hingedly mounted atone end to said socket for opening and closing said last mentioned opening, and means detachably lock- I ing the distal end of'said closure to the socket 2. A safety ball and socket joint including a tubular socket member opened at one end" and closed by a plug and having substantially oppositely disposed'side openingsin the side 'walls thereof, a headed member in the socket and having a shank fixed thereto and extending through one of said openings, which is of such dimensions as to preventthe head from passing thereth'rough but permitting movement of the shank therein, the other of said side openings permitting said head and shank to pass therethrough, anda closure plate curved conforming to the contour of said socket adjacent said last i mentioned opening for closing the same and pivoted at one end to said socket, and means detachably locking the distal end of said closure to the a socket member having substantially op positely disposed openings therein, a headed member in the socket and having a shank fixed thereto and extending through one of said openings, which is of such dimensions as to prevent the head from passing therethr-ough but permitting lateral movement of the shank therein, the other of said openings permitting said head and shank to pass therethrough, and a closure plate conforming to the contour of said socket adjacent said last mentioned opening for closing the same and pivoted at one end tosai-d socket, and means detachably locking the distal end of said closure to the socket, a pad carried by the plate at a point opposite said last open-' ing to be pressed against the edges thereof when the plate is in position.

4. A safety ball and socket joint including a tubular socket memberopened at one end and closed by a plug having notches therein and further having substantially oppositely disposed apertures in the side-walls thereof,'

a ball head member in the socket and having a shank fixed to said ball and extending through one of said openings, which is of such dimensions as to prevent the head from.

passing therethrough but permitting moveplate conforming the contour of" said socket adjacent said last'mentioned opening for closing the same and pivoted at one end I to saidsocket,-, and lockingpins at the distal end of said closure, 1 said .pins extending.

through said plate and socket and into the] notches of said plug,ywhereby the parts are J detachablysecured together.

5.'In a safety ball and socket joint, includi ing a tubular socket member having a: side' opening therein through which the ball may be inserted in and removed from said socket,

a closureplate for the opening curved to conform to and lie against the outer surface ofsaid socket, said closure being hi'ngedly mounted on said socket for opening and closing said opening therein, and means detachably locking said closure to the socket.

6. A safety device for ball and socket joints which "include atubular socket member haV-- ing an opening therein through which a ball member maybe inserted in and removed from said socket, said device comprising a closureplatefor said opening curved to conform to the contour of the socket adjacent outwardly projecting ears, means on said ears for pivotally securing said closure on said socket, and means at the distal end thereof for d-etachably locking said plate to said socket. I

ise

e0 said opening and lie thereagainst, opposite curved corner portlons of said platehaving WILLIAM TO-DD. 5 

